1 Corinthians 9
1 I am certainly free [to do all the things that God allows me to do.] [RHQ] I am an apostle. [RHQ] [You] certainly [know that] I have seen Jesus our Lord. [RHQ] It is a result of my work that you [have believed in] the Lord [Jesus]. [RHQ]
不是自自由的嗎？我不是宗徒嗎？我不是見過我們的主耶穌嗎？你們不是我在主內所建的工程嗎？
2 And even though other people may think that I am not an apostle, you certainly should know that I am an apostle. [Remember that] your having become Christians [MET] [as a result of my telling you about] the Lord (confirms/shows that it is true) that I am an apostle.
縱然我為別人不是宗徒，為你們我總是，你們在主內正是我任宗徒職份的印證。
3 In order to defend myself, this [is what I say] to those who criticize me [by claiming that I do not act like an apostle].
這也就是我對那些質問我的人的答辨。
4 As for Barnabas and me, we certainly have the right [as apostles] to receive [from you and other congregations] food and drink [for our work]. [RHQ]
難道我們沒有取取得飲食的權利嗎？
5 [We have the] same right [that] the other apostles and the Lord Jesus’ [younger] brothers and [especially] Peter have. They all take along a wife who is a believer [when they travel various places in order to tell people about Christ. And they have a right that the people whom they work among will support their wives, too]. So Barnabas and I certainly have those same rights. [RHQ]
難道我們沒有權利攜帶一位為姐妹的人，如其他的宗徒主的弟兄並刻法一樣嗎？
6 It would be ridiculous to think that Barnabas and I are the only apostles who must work to earn money to pay our expenses [while we are doing God’s work! [RHQ]]
或者惟有我和巴爾納伯沒有不勞作的權利嗎？
7 Soldiers certainly do not pay their own wages. [RHQ] Those who plant a vineyard would certainly eat some of the grapes [when they become ripe]. [RHQ] Those who care for sheep would certainly drink the milk from those sheep. [RHQ] [Similarly, those who tell others about Christ certainly have a right to receive] ([financial help/food]) [from the people to whom they preach].
誰當兵而自備糧餉呢？誰種葡萄園而不吃它的出產呢？或者誰不牧放羊群而不吃羊群的奶呢？
8 I am saying that, not only because people think that it is right. [RHQ] [No], I am [RHQ] saying it because it is what [God said] in the laws [that he gave to Moses].
我說這話，難道是按人之常情？法律不是也這樣說嗎？
9 Moses wrote in one of those laws, “While an ox is threshing [grain], you must not tie its mouth shut [so that it cannot eat the grain].” (God was not only concerned about oxen [when he gave that law]./Was God [only] concerned about oxen [when he gave that law]?) [RHQ]
原來梅瑟法律上記載說：『牛在打埸的時候，不可籠住它的嘴。』難道天主關心的是牛嗎？
10 [No], he was [RHQ] concerned about us, also! Yes, [God caused Moses to] write those words [because he is concerned] about us! Those who plow the ground confidently expect [to eat some of] the crop [that grows]. Those who thresh grain confidently expect [to eat some of the grain that they thresh. Similarly, we who proclaim the message about Christ have the right to confidently expect to receive financial help for our work].
豈不是完全為我們說的嗎？的確是為我們記載的，因為犁地的當懷著希望去犁，打埸的也當懷著有份的希望去打埸。
11 And because we have proclaimed God’s message to you, we certainly have the right to receive from you the things that we need for our bodies [MET]! [MET, RHQ]
若是我們給你們散播神聖恩的恩惠，而收割你們那屬物質的東西，還算什麼大事？
12 Since other people [who preached to you] had that right, certainly Barnabas and I have the same right. [RHQ] However, neither of us insisted [that you give us the things that] we have a right [to receive from you]. Instead, we were willing to endure anything in order that we not hinder [anyone from believing] the message about Christ.
如別人在你們身上尚且分享權利，我們豈不更該嗎？可是我們沒有用過這權利，反倒忍受了一切，免得基督的福音受到妨礙。
13 You should keep in mind that [the priests and servants] in the Temple eat [some of the food that people bring to] the Temple. [RHQ] Specifically, the priests who work at the altar eat some of [the food that the people bring to sacrifice on] the altar.
你們豈不知道為聖事服務的，就靠聖殿生活；供職於祭壇的， 1分享祭壇上的物品嗎？
14 So the Lord has commanded that those who proclaim the good message [about him] should receive from [those who hear that] message what they need to live on.
主也這樣規定了，傳福音的人，應靠福音而生活。
15 However, I have not requested that you [give me] those things that I have a right [to receive from you]. Furthermore, I am writing this to you, not in order to request you to begin [giving me financial help now]. I would rather die than to [receive help from you]. I do not want anyone to prevent me from boasting [about my proclaiming God’s message to you without receiving financial help from you].
可是，這些權利我一樣也沒有用過；我寫這話，並非要人這樣對待我，因為我寧願死，也不願讓人使我這誇耀落了空。
16 When I proclaim the message about Christ, I cannot boast [about doing it], because [Christ] has commanded me [to do it]. I would be very miserable (OR, [I am afraid that] God would punish me) if I did not proclaim that message.
我若傳福音，原沒有什麼可誇耀的，因為這是我不得已的事；我若不傳福音，我就有禍了。
17 If I had decided by myself to proclaim it, [God] would reward me. But I did not decide by myself to do that. I am simply doing the work that [God] entrusted to me.
假使我自願作這事，便有酬報；若不自願，可是責任已委托給我。
18 So perhaps you wonder what my reward is. [RHQ] [I will tell you]. When I proclaim the good message [about Christ], I do not ask people for financial help. It [makes me very happy not to ask for help, and being happy is the] reward I get. I do not want to use the rights that I have [when I proclaim] the gospel.
這樣看來，我的酬是什麼呢？就是傳福音時白白地去傳，不享用我在傳福音上所有的權利。
19 I am not obligated to do what anyone else thinks that I should do. Nevertheless, when I have been with any group of people, I have made myself [do what they believed that I should do, just like a slave does what his master wants him to do]. I have done that in order that I might convince more people [to trust in Christ].
我原是自由的，不屬於任何人；但我卻使自己成了眾人的奴僕，為贏得更多的人。
20 Specifically, when I was with fellow Jews, I did the things that Jews [think that people should do]. I did that in order that I might convince some of them [to trust in Christ]. Although I am now not obligated to obey the Jewish laws and rituals, when I was with those who believe that they are obligated to obey those laws, I did the things that they [think that people should do]. I did that in order to convince some of them [to trust in Christ].
對猶太人，我就成為猶太人，為贏得猶太人；對於法律下的人，我雖不在法律下，仍成為在法律下的人，為贏得那在法律下的人；
21 When I was with (non-Jews/those who do not know those laws), I did the things that non-Jews [think that people should do], in order that I might convince some of them [to trust in Christ]. I do not mean that I disobey God’s laws. No, I obey the things that Christ commanded us to do.
對那些法律以外的人，我就成為法律以外的人，為贏得那些法律以外的人；其實，我並不在天主的法律以外，而是在基督的法律之下。
22 When I was with those who doubt [whether God will permit them to do certain things that others] ([disapprove of/think it is not right to do]), I [avoided doing those things], in order that I might convince some of them [to trust in Christ]. In summary, I have done all the things [that the people I have been with think that others should do], in order that by every possible means I might convince some of them [to trust in Christ].
對軟弱的人，我就成為軟弱的，為贏得那軟弱的人；對一切人，我就成為一切，為的是總要救些人。
23 I do all these things in order that [more people will believe] the message about Christ, and in order that I, along with other believers, may receive the good things [that God promises to give us].
我所行的一切，都是為了福音，為能與人共沾福音的恩許。
24 When people run in a race, they all run, but only one of them wins the race and as a result gets a prize. You certainly know that [RHQ]. So, [just like] runners [exert themselves fully to win a race] [MET], [you should exert yourselves fully to do the things that God wants you to do], in order that you may receive the reward [that God wants to give you].
你們豈不知在運動埸上賽跑的，固然都跑，但只有一個得獎賞嗎？你們也應該這樣跑，好能得到獎賞。
25 All athletes exercise their bodies strenuously in many ways. They do that in order to receive a wreath [as a reward to wear on their heads]. Those wreaths fade, but we will receive a reward that will last forever [LIT].
凡比武競賽的，在一切事上都有節制；他們只是為得到可朽壞的花冠，而我們卻是為得到不朽壞的花冠。
26 For that reason, I [try hard to please God] [MET], [like a] runner who runs toward the goal [LIT]. I [try hard to accomplish what God wants me to accomplish, like] a boxer tries hard to hit his opponent, not to miss hitting him.
所以，我總是這樣跑，不是如同無定向的；我這樣打拳，不是如同打空氣的；
27 I beat my body [to make it do what I want it to do] [MET], [as] slaves [obey their masters], in order that, after I have proclaimed [God’s message] to others, he will not [say that I do] not deserve to receive a reward.
我痛繫我身，使它為奴，免得我給別人報捷，自己反而落選。
